Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Hand Me Down ❯ Part I ( Chapter 1 )

A/N: An idea I had while listening to my Matchbox20 CD. I love this song, but the fic can stand alone without the song, so you can ignore the lyrics if you want to. The fic is so long that I decided to section it off into parts. Each part goes directly after the other, unless otherwise stated.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or its characters. I also do not own the song "Hand Me Down" by Matchbox 20...Rob Thomas...*swoon*

"Hand Me Down"

Sally filled her lungs with the almost-fresh air of the city. Her efficient tennis shoes slapped the pavement heartily as her slender legs, clad in standard Preventer-issued pants, took lengthy strides. The pants were the kind of green that turned one's thoughts immediately to camouflage. Not that she was a particularly picky dresser, but the faded pants merely accentuated the lack of womanly features, and caused the athletic and more muscular build to be brought to light. Well, femininity wasn't in her job description, and you'd have to tie her down to get her to wear the other issued garment, which was a knee-high skirt.

Normally the 24-year old woman would drive to work, but on beautiful mornings such as today, she enjoyed observing the small city just wakening for the day. The air was cool, as was the norm for this hour, but the small sunlight peeking over the building-laden horizon spoke of the promise of heat later on. It was the kind of morning where birds chirping seemed more regular than the rising of the golden sun. The kind of morning where, rather than a coffee, one grabbed a flower on a walk to work. It seemed almost surreal, like a fairy tail setting. Soon she would be swept off her feet by a knight in shining armor, but not before facing trials of hardship.

Sally half-expected a dragon to come roaring down an alley way, before flying her off to his treasure horde where he would hold her captive until her rescuer saved her from a horrid and bloody end. The young woman chuckled, running a hand through the top of her hair where it wasn't bound. Her blonde hair was pulled back into twin twisted braids, which brought her a sense of familiarity, a feeling that she had never been associated with.

Someday they'll find your small-town world

On a big-town avenue

But lately Sally had been ecstatic to discover a comforting feeling of familiarity and stability. She had a thriving career, and was able to help others on top of that. The peace achieved by the people (and Gundam pilots) after the Mariemeia coup d'etat was holding out wondrously, and the job of a Preventer agent was not near as strenuous as it used to be. Weapons hadn't been used by the Preventer agency in quite awhile, and Sally allowed her hopes to rise by this seemingly small proclamation.

She was no longer a work-aholic as well. Sally had, what she presumed, close ties with many fellow Preventers, including Heero, Duo and Wufei. Quatre was running Winner Corp...in honor of his late father's death, no doubt. The young Winner heir had been swarming all over the news. Talk of his peaceful return to Winner Corp. had been the headlines for weeks. The blonde Arab had taken to promoting peace, and much of his time was spent funding peaceful and social events. It seemed his guilt at his father's untimely death had spurred him into taking large parts in peaceful negotiations. His father had been a pacifist, after all.

Trowa had returned to the circus with Catherine immediately after the Mariemeia incident. The colony had almost been dropped onto Earth, and it seemed to Sally that Trowa had needed to feel reassured about the safety of his friends, or his family, as he liked to call them. As far as she knew, he was still happily performing alongside his fellow circus troupe members. Although she had heard recently that the Latin man had submitted blood samples to a lab, to find out if any distant relatives were searching for a boy lost at a young age...

Heero and Duo worked efficiently as Preventer agents, although Duo was rather rowdy, and Heero, contrary to popular belief, was quite eccentric. Wufei worked with the young blonde Chinese woman, and the two made quite the partnership. Although with the terrorists' activities on a low, the two were rarely needed for 'fire' missions anymore.

Her friendships were not limited to the Gundam pilots, though. Her once Preventer partner, Lucrezia Noin, had disappeared after the coup d'etat. Later, the Italian woman was found on Mars with Zechs, each working on the terraforming taking place, which, despite popular universal doubt, was progressing beautifully.

Yes, Sally decided, the security she felt in her life was pure bliss compared to the once raging insanity it had seemed like during the war. She took up residence in a cozy little house. It was all she could afford, but it was really all she needed. Her job as a Preventer was more than she could ever ask for. It put her much sought-after skills to a good use, and she was able to uphold the peace they had all fought so hard for. More than anything, it was comforting to know that all the lives lost in the Eve Wars wouldn't have to be in vain.

Taking one last deep breath, Sally entered the familiar building that she had come to know as almost a home-away-from-home. She was one of the few people who could honestly say that she enjoyed work. It gave her a chance to see her friends, and to socialize with them. At first, Wufei had disapproved of this, but soon he just watched on with an uneasy apprehension. Now normally, the blonde woman found it easy to understand the strange young man who had piloted the Altron Gundam, but this was one of those few incidents where she found herself at a loss.

"Good morning, Une," Sally greeted cheerfully to the head of Preventers. The brunette woman offered her a similar greeting, and Sally's sky blue eyes missed the fact that her smile was tight-lipped and did not reach her eyes.

A man with black hair tied back in a slick ponytail that just reached past his shoulders watched this exchange somewhat uneasily. He found this a more and more common occurrence, and he had to curse that woman for becoming so vulnerable, whether she knew it or not. He quickly smoothed his expression, and grabbed his partner by the elbow lightly.

"C'mon, Sally," he told her, walking towards their adjoined office. "Let's get started. We have to report on the security for the peace conference last week." Studying him strangely as he dragged her along behind him, Sally tried to pinpoint what was troubling him...apart from the usual, of course. She could come up with no plausible solution off the top of her head, and this deterred her somewhat. Shaking it off, she replied lightly.

"Oh, right," she said happily, seating herself in a chair beside Wufei.

"We can turn these in to 'Fire' when we're done. She said she'd drop them off on her way to Mars," he commented lightly, gauging his partner's reaction closely. The silence that enveloped the office seemed so clouded and so tense. A surrounding atmosphere that both cloaked and suffocated them. Any sound would merely be lost in the absolute fog surrounding the duo.

Gonna make you like the way they talk

When they're talking to you.

Sally looked up and her gaze penetrated Wufei's, making his chest twist almost painfully. Her expression was strangely confused, and the Chinese man decided that he didn't like it one bit. Her eyes seemed to see deep into him, and yet they appeared watery. Almost as if she was filled to the brim with this confusion, and these faulty emotions. If she took in any more pain she would utterly collapse, and all these emotions would pool over. And this woman more than any other, deserved happiness. He mentally winced as he realized this must have been a long time coming...and he saw it from the beginning...

"Did you say 'Fire'?" she asked quizzically. "When did Noin get back?"

Now Wufei visibly winced, so much deceit, so much pain. How much could one person handle before they broke? How far could one be pushed until everything they ever knew came crashing around them, and they realized what they thought was reality was merely a playful fantasy. A fantasy that, like all others, must come to an end. Only...it wasn't a happy ending. No ride off into the sunset on a white stallion. In reality, those endings didn't exists, and are merely an illusion created to dilute the minds of the innocent.

"About a week ago," he informed her, trying his best to sound professional and unfazed. No big deal, right? "She came back from Mars so her and Wind could get married."

Sally's face lit up considerably, and the ebony-haired man realized he must have stated that wrong. Oh well, no easy way to set someone up for heartache. In fact, softening the blow does nothing to alter the ending result. It simply delays the action of hurt, and truly, once looking back on it one might reconsider delaying it at all.

"That is wonderful!" the blonde woman said excitedly, clasping her hands together. "It's about time Zechs came around; when's the wedding?"

Now, Wufei decided, he was going to murder them. Every single one of them. To toy with someone's emotions...to make her feel loved and needed and complete...that was not only dishonourable...it was downright shameful. It made the young man's blood boil with barely contained rage that made his heart ache. But whether the ache was from the rage or another emotion entirely was unclear. All he knew was that this woman helped him in his time of need. When he had lost to Treize, she compelled his motivation to fight, telling him he had a strong heart. She claimed to believe that she also had a strong heart. And, truthfully, Sally's heart really was strong. Strong and beautiful and beating steadily. And yet, even the strongest warrior has a weakness, and even the strongest heart can cease to beat.

In all honesty, he had thought Sally was smarter than that and, looking back on it, he assumed she had been. But, as time went on she began to feel secure and had let her guard down. The peace and tranquility had diluted her awareness, and she had grown comfortable in her life. A life that she assumed was a stable and happy one. It was her fault and she was merely facing the inevitable. Still, that did not make it any more allowable., and it did not loosen the constriction in the young man's chest.

"Wufei?" she asked again, and he came to the sudden realization that he hadn't answered her question. This caught him off guard, which was a difficult task to accomplish.

"Er...actually," he began, and then quickly recovered his wits. "The wedding was actually three days ago. Fire and Wind are merely tying up loose ends, and then they are heading back to Mars."

"What?" Sally cried in shock, her hand immediately covering her chest as if she could protect her very heart...but it was too late. She had opened up and it was too late for protection.

"You're lying, Wufei," she said, but her voice shook slightly. "Noin would tell me if she was getting married."

"Sally..." he said, his voice holding more than one note of warning in it. The stubborn woman refused to meet his gaze, walking swiftly out of the office. He was immediately on her heels. After all, he didn't want to do the report himself...right? If he were honest with himself, which he normally was, then he would assume he feared for her safety. After all, every heart can stop beating sometime.

"Water!" came the voice of Une as Sally was half-walking half-running down the hall. "I need you to round up the new recruits for me so they can receive their opening assignments."

"Isn't that Duo's job?" Sally asked, perplexed. She was rewarded with a stern glare from Une, and a sharp intake of breath from Wufei, who was standing behind her. She could feel his presence, and it felt almost like a warm and inviting heat behind her. But everything else felt so cold. She had the sudden desire to be in Wufei's arms where it was warm and safe...but she immediately shook off the foreign invasive feeling.

The brunette snapped angrily. "Duo left a week and a half ago! You know better than to question orders." Preventer Water bowed her head respectively, before setting about her task.

Sally walked numbly towards a small section of rooms. She couldn't deny orders, could she? Each room held a class of rookie recruits. She quickly filed each class out of their respective rooms and into the hall on a route to Une's office. The numb feeling remained as she made her way back to her office, noting that Wufei was already back. He stood up as she entered and walked over so he was standing beside her.

Gonna make you break out of your shell

'cause they tell you to

"Duo left a week and a half ago," he told her. "He left because he found out Hilde was pregnant. He moved back to L2 with her."

Sally felt a wry and humourless chuckle escaped her suddenly dry and cracked lips. Her legs felt extremely like jell-o, and it seemed wondrous that she was even standing at all. Ironically enough, the only reason she was standing at all was because Wufei had a death grip on her forearm, keeping her upright. He was holding her up almost like a crutch, she realized sickeningly. When had she lost her control...when had she ceased to be the strong one?

"That's kind of strange," she commented, trying to sound light-hearted, and failing miserably, "because I never heard that. I didn't hear about Noin's wedding either."

Her beautiful blue eyes trapped Wufei's onyx ones as she gazed up at him wistfully. She seemed to be wishing for something...but what was she searching for. Something stable? Something reliable? Sally had always been the stable one, rarely counting on others to hold her up. The abrupt table-turn was causing an inevitable dizzying illness.

"Was it a nice wedding? Did you go?" she asked, her voice sounding extremely soft and feminine, which was not something one usually associated with Sally Po. Not to get the wrong idea or anything; she was definitely a beautiful woman. But she wasn't demure or dainty, which was what one thought when the word "feminine" is brought up.

"No, I didn't go," he replied, using his grip on her arm to lead her to an overstuffed office chair. She fell into it of her own accord, and tilted her face up in order to keep eye contact with her stoic partner. She continued to talk lightly, and Wufei struggled to place what the sound of her voice reminded him of...

"Lu always said she looked terrible in white," she commented, smiling into Wufei's eyes as he struggled to break away, but found he could not. "But I bet she looked nice, all the same."

Something inside Wufei snapped, and he understood the harsh reality he had been unable to comprehend just moments before. His partner, his headstrong, stubborn, reliable, good-humoured - and gods - beautiful partner had broken. Her strength had failed her, because for once, she wasn't the supportive one. She had tried to lean on others for support, but they had failed her. They had failed to hold her up, and they let her fall from thousands of emotional feet up until it was inevitable that she break once she came crashing down. Could nothing break her fall? He wanted so much to chide her as he once would of done. The last thing he wanted to do was place a hand on her shoulder and try and comfort her, but that's what he did.

"I'm sorry, Sally," he told her honestly, for sorry he was. He had seen this coming, watched it get closer day after day and yet he had done nothing. There was nothing he could do, come to think of it. If he had voiced his thoughts she most likely would have shrugged it off with that good-natured attitude she possessed. She would have told him he was being paranoid, and - with that serene smile - she would go about her duties as if the conversation had never arisen.

"How about you take the day off?" he suggested, pulling her up by guiding her upper arm.

"Chang Wufei," she scolded, attempting to busy herself with the stack of papers that had been the peace conference security report. "You, of all people, should know that I can't slack off. That would be dishonourable, seeing as I'm not sick."

"Fine," he said, becoming more forceful by pulling her along beside him on the way out the door. "Then we're both taking personal days."

Surprised, Sally could only allow herself to be dragged along meekly by her partner. She had to wonder at his strange attitude. This sure was a terrible day, she concluded continuing to be forced along by the grip of her partner. Why hadn't Noin informed her of her marriage to Zechs? It was something Sally would have desperately liked to know, and not because it affected her in any way, but...she had thought Noin was her friend.

And Wufei had said Hilde was pregnant. Duo was going to be a dad and have a real family, which is something he had always wanted, from what she'd heard. How, then, did the information get by her so easily? Why hadn't she heard from her friends?

Wufei had come to a halt and released her arm. She realized, with mild amusement, that he had driven his motorcycle to work.

"I didn't bring a helmet," he informed her, not really apologizing, but not unkind either.

"It doesn't matter," Sally said with a shrug, waiting while Wufei mounted the bike before she straddled the seat behind him. She wrapped her slender arms loosely around his waist, glad she had pulled her hair back.

Gonna make you like the way they lie

Better than the truth

The day had not yet warmed up, and Sally found herself pressing closer to Wufei's back as he sped along the highway. She had no idea where he was taking them, but she decided it didn't really matter. Anywhere they went she would be alone. It seemed now that she was always alone, and the security and comfort she had felt was merely an illusion...a fantasy for the weak. So she trusted in her partner to decide on a destination.

The speed pick up without warning, and her loose grip tightened against the young man's waist as he sped up in order to pass a semi. The truck loomed large and dangerous beside them, and Sally realized with some sick thought that if she would let go of Wufei, she would be crushed beneath the powerful semi truck. Sally grew nauseous at her own thoughts, as she understood she had just seriously considered taking the coward's way out.

Then again, why shouldn't she? No one would mind if she left, and what was the point of living if no one acknowledged your presence?

No, she told herself silently, you can always live for yourself, and to become stronger. Gods, if she didn't sound like Wufei just then. But it was true, she decided. No matter what happened, she must always carry on...even if, at the moment, she felt unable to even make it through the day...

The motorcycle turned, coming dangerously close to the ground, but with a grace he somehow always possessed, Wufei steered it off the ramp, stopping at a stoplight. All of the sudden, curiosity hit Sally, and she leaned forward slightly so her mouth was by his ear.

"Where are we going?" she inquired, but his reply was lost as the light turned green and the motor and the wind filled her hearing once more. He looked side-ways at her, mouthing the words "we're almost there." Gee, she thought sarcastically, that tells me a lot.

She didn't have to wait long, though. Soon, Wufei had pulled into a small restaurant...well...more like a cafe. He parked the bike easily, allowing Sally to get off before he slid off himself.

"There's a cafe next to Headquarters, you know," she said with no little amusement, smiling genuinely. The sight made Wufei's stomach turn, as he realized fifteen minutes ago it would have been near impossible to have her produce a smile. Perhaps she was too forgiving. Or maybe he wasn't forgiving enough.

"I got food poisoning from their bagels," he accused, leading the way into the small cafe. The sound of Sally's laughter followed him in.

"I'll remember that," she replied with some mirth, still chuckling over the evil bagel dilemma.

A/N: Please review!